3D Kinematics of a Tentacle Robot

Abstract

This paper deals with the control problem of a class of tentacle arms (7), (14), (15). A tentacle robot produces changes of configuration using a continuous backbone made of sections which bend. The lack of discrete joints is a serious and difficult issue in the determination of the robot's shape. A tentacle arm has a variable length and theoretically it can achieve any position and orientation in 3D space. In order to get a better control in the constraint operator space, it is possible to increase the length of the tentacle (1). A tentacle arm prototype was designed and the practical realization is now running.